ICUH 2024: A Healthier Horizon: Activating Urban Health Strategies for a Climate

95 Foodscapes Mapping: Assessing Built Environment Quality and Its Impact on Food Behaviors

*Pre-Registration Required. Please contact Shoshanna at skasle@isuh.org to register. 

This interactive workshop focuses on assessing the relationship between the way our urban environments are designed and community food systems. Alongside various communities, Gehl and Cities for Better Health have co-created an approach and suite of tools, designed to assess the quality of the built environment and its influence on food behaviours. The tools allow users to record observations on the relationship between urban design and food habits, offering insights into how public space design and maintenance impact public health and climate readiness of our urban food systems.

The two-part workshop will begin with attendees participating in a field exercise in Marrakesh. Learning from a city of souks, participants will have a chance to explore and map the local food environment, investigating how elements of the built environment either support or hinder activities and behaviours of a healthy food system and a climate-resilient environment. This hands-on activity aims to illustrate the tools’ utility in real-world settings and set the frame for a feedback and sharing session between the workshop participants and the practitioners at Gehl and Cities for Better Health, who are always evolving and adapting the tool to better service projects that leverage the built environment as a vehicle for community and planetary health.

The second part of the workshop, will convene on the following day and introduce some of the urban conditions that underpin the food system's ability to support community and planetary health such as environmental conditions (WaSH) necessary for healthy routines, co-location of food places and transportation hubs, and how the public realm can support local economic growth — an essential component of furthering health equity in cities. Supported by case studies, we will demonstrate how the tools have been used in various contexts to tailor preventative health interventions to a community’s unique opportunities, challenges, and climates. 

There will also be space for reflecting on the participants hands-on experience of using the tools in the field from the previous day - and how they may be applied in their work.

Participants will be sent material ahead of arriving in Marrakesh, with introductory materials to the approach and tools, including a short reflection exercise to conduct in their own local context.

The Africa Urban Health Community of Practice (CoP), a partnership between UrbanBetter Academy and the International Society for Urban Health (ISUH), brings together scholarly, government, non-governmental, private sector and community-based actors in/of the African continent to promote action-oriented knowledge generation anchored in policy and practice to advance urban health and promote health equity in the region. 

Our overall goal is to contribute to building a critical mass of urban health researchers and practitioners in Africa, with the aim to promote an “Africa-first” approach to urban health issues.

The goal of this networking lunch session is to introduce delegates to the community, share past activities and plans for the next year and to grow the community encouraging urban health professionals in/of Africa to join the community of practice and actively participate in activities in the year ahead.

This interactive workshop focuses on assessing the relationship between the way our urban environments are designed and community food systems. Alongside various communities, Gehl and Cities for Better Health have co-created an approach and suite of tools, designed to assess the quality of the built environment and its influence on food behaviours. The tools allow users to record observations on the relationship between urban design and food habits, offering insights into how public space design and maintenance impact public health and climate readiness of our urban food systems.

The two-part workshop will begin with attendees participating in a field exercise in Marrakesh. Learning from a city of souks, participants will have a chance to explore and map the local food environment, investigating how elements of the built environment either support or hinder activities and behaviours of a healthy food system and a climate-resilient environment. This hands-on activity aims to illustrate the tools’ utility in real-world settings and set the frame for a feedback and sharing session between the workshop participants and the practitioners at Gehl and Cities for Better Health, who are always evolving and adapting the tool to better service projects that leverage the built environment as a vehicle for community and planetary health.

The second part of the workshop, will convene on the following day and introduce some of the urban conditions that underpin the food system's ability to support community and planetary health such as environmental conditions (WaSH) necessary for healthy routines, co-location of food places and transportation hubs, and how the public realm can support local economic growth — an essential component of furthering health equity in cities. Supported by case studies, we will demonstrate how the tools have been used in various contexts to tailor preventative health interventions to a community’s unique opportunities, challenges, and climates. 

There will also be space for reflecting on the participants hands-on experience of using the tools in the field from the previous day - and how they may be applied in their work.

Participants will be sent material ahead of arriving in Marrakesh, with introductory materials to the approach and tools, including a short reflection exercise to conduct in their own local context.

Join us for an exclusive breakfast to connect with existing and prospective members of the ISUH Corporate Leadership Council. This invitation-only event is an exceptional opportunity to explore how leading organizations are collectively advancing urban health through high-impact initiatives and cross-sector partnerships. Gain insights into the Council's mission to drive health equity, influence policy, and create sustainable urban solutions on a global scale.

This breakfast offers an intimate setting to network, share perspectives, and consider how your organization can be part of this influential alliance dedicated to transforming urban health challenges into opportunities for resilient, healthier cities worldwide.

*By Invitation Only

Join us for an informal lunch gathering to continue the momentum from our Community-Led Roundtable at CGI 2024, "Leveraging Cross-Sectoral Partnerships to Drive Healthier, More Sustainable, and Equitable Urban Futures." This lunch session provides an opportunity to reconnect with fellow participants, delve deeper into our shared insights, and explore collaborative next steps for advancing urban health equity. Building on our CGI conversation, we’ll discuss how cities, communities, and cross-sector partnerships can act as catalysts for change, focusing on evidence-based actions, community leadership, and the role of the private sector in creating health-supportive environments. Whether you attended CGI or are new to the conversation, join us to share ideas, insights, and strengthen connections toward a healthier urban future.

This interactive session envisions a transformative approach to prepare the next generation of urban health leaders with the depth of knowledge, cross-disciplinary skills, and practical experience required to address the urgent and complex challenges facing urban health in a rapidly evolving climate. With 3.6 billion people already affected by climate change, urban health professionals must undergo rigorous, comprehensive training that integrates climate resilience, health equity, sustainability, and practical, real-world application.

Recognizing urban health as a critical intersection of social, environmental, and health disciplines, ISUH aims to establish a consortium of universities dedicated to advancing urban health education. This consortium would deliver a robust curriculum, faculty training, and on-the-ground support, fostering a truly multidisciplinary and intersectional education. By offering students the hands-on experience they need through global practicum placements, this initiative will equip graduates with an un-siloed, integrated understanding of urban health, enabling them to tackle multifaceted challenges across sectors—from academia and policy to the private sector and civil society.

The panel will bring together academic leaders who are reshaping the field of urban health to discuss groundbreaking educational frameworks, the importance of faculty development, and the power of cross-sector partnerships. Together, they will explore how a unified consortium approach can provide a holistic, comprehensive pathway to train future urban health professionals to solve some of the world’s most pressing urban health challenges.

Screening and discussion of short videos from India, Kenya, Thailand, Uganda and the US highlighting remarkable stories of community–led equitable development and health equity trends around the world.
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Videos presented are part of the ISUH Accelerating City Equity (ACE) Project. See the ACE Active-Learning Resource Center for insights from experienced practitioners and practical guidance to drive greater health equity around the world, including a case study library, a starter kit and more stories from the field—short films sharing inspiring and complex healthy equity stories from around the world.

Join us for a special breakfast gathering of the ISUH Expert Advisory Council (EAC) members at ICUH 2024, bringing together current members dedicated to advancing urban health and guiding ISUH’s strategic direction in research, programming, and policy.

This event offers a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow council members, share insights, and collaborate on strengthening ISUH’s global impact. Together, we’ll explore ways to ensure ISUH activities continue to drive meaningful progress in urban health and health equity worldwide.

ISUH Members, grab a coffee or mint tea and join us in the Agafay for an engaging ISUH members-only gathering at ICUH 2024. This is a unique opportunity for members to connect in person, share their interests, and learn more about how ISUH can support them. Attendees will hear about exclusive opportunities such as leading working groups, participating in members-only events, and accessing our newsletter featuring job listings, resources, and event updates. We'll also share exciting developments for our members-only website resources. Don’t miss this chance to network, collaborate, and contribute to building a stronger urban health community.

This session will convene mayors and high-level city representatives from across the globe to discuss the pressing health challenges their cities face in the context of climate change. Participants will explore the critical data, research, and partnerships needed to drive impactful urban health solutions, as well as opportunities for collaboration with private sector and philanthropic partners. With an emphasis on city-to-city peer learning, the session will identify promising paths forward, focusing on how cities can work hand-in-hand with their communities—especially their majority youth populations—to build more resilient, climate-adaptive urban environments. Together, we will explore how city leaders can champion innovative strategies to mitigate and adapt to the intertwined challenges of health and climate change, creating healthier, more sustainable urban futures.